Resignation of health official Maura Davies gets NDP asking questions

TheNDPOpposition is asking about the recent resignationof top Saskatoon health official Maura Davies and whether it had anything to do with her criticism of the consultant in charge of the Lean project in health care.

• Saskatoon Health Region CEO Maura Davies quits

Lean is a$35-million efficiency program being implemented by a U.S. consultant throughout the province's health care system.

Proponents, including Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, say it translates into better service for patients as well as overall savings for the health care system.

But critics, including the NDP, have unleashed a litany of complaints. They say Lean is causing anxiety in the workforce, is jargon-filled and is generally a poor use of taxpayers' dollars.

During Question Period on Monday, the NDP was asking about the dismissal last week of Davies, the CEO of the Saskatoon Health Region and how it might be connected to Lean and other health controversies.

According tothe NDP, documentsobtained through a freedom of information request showDavieshad a "frank" conversation with Lean contractor John Black about how Lean isnt working properly for the Saskatoon Health Region.

The New Democrats also claimDavies blamed the government for the poor state of senior care, telling health care workers there isn't enough money being put in for health infrastructure in the health region.

Firing doesn't make sense, says NDP'sBroten

The government said Davies raising concerns about the province's health care systemhad nothing to do with herdeparture.

Saskatoon Health Region board chair Jim Rhode said neither Davies' concerns about Lean, nor about the state of the health care system had an influence on the timing of her departure.

"I know that her and John have a close relationship and she has conversations quite regularly with John, so I'm not sure exactly what transpired there," Rhode said.

Rhode stuck by his earlier comments that Davies departure is all about the timing of her retirement, and the need for top administration to shepherd major projects such as Leanand construction of the Children's Hospital to completion.

ButBroten told reporters after Question Period he doesn't think itmakes sense to pay Davies a $400,000 severance just to go away.

"If someone's doing a poor job and there's grounds to fire someone, then fire that person," said Broten. "If someone is doing a good job if you've poured hundreds of thousands of dollars just recently into Lean leader training then that person should do their job and when that person retires you do the succession planning."

The government said the health region offered Davies other work before she left the region, but claim she decided against it

"There was the hope that the system could retain her somehow. She did consider it but ultimately decided that that wasn't something that she wanted to do," said Health Minister Dustin Duncan,

He added any questions as to why Daviesturned down the work should be directed to her.

The NDP says it has obtained documents (the underlining is the NDP's) suggesting that Maura Davies pushed back against the government on health care issues.